Big on Space, the Smallest Lagoon Cat Emphasizes Livability

The Lagoon 380 is the smallest member of the Lagoon fleet – and it is also the most popular. More than 350 hulls have hit the water since 1999, many of which were used in charter.

Yet even a decade after production began, the boat continues to attract attention. Lagoons, like other catamarans, are becoming more popular as a cruising platform. Built with improved materials and construction techniques, cats have evolved from being thin-water coastal boats to a real option for making passage.

With its distinctive look, solid build and excellent livability, the Lagoon 380 is gaining traction on the secondary market as a cruising boat for couples. There are some design flaws, such as sail drives that make oil changes difficult. And the boat won't set any speed records going to wind. But used 380s are plentiful worldwide, with eight- to 10-year-old models costing $180,000 to $225,000 (newer models cost far more) – and many are well worth a look for those interested in a multi-hull sailboat.

CRUISING CLASS

The first Lagoon catamaran – a 55 footer – was built in 1987 by Jeanneau at a time when the yard's advanced labs were building several winning vessels for the world-racing circuit, including Route du Rhum and Atlantic solo races. Lagoon says that "trickle-down" technology allows its production boats to benefit from the advancements developed for their racing sisters.

When Beneteau took over Jeanneau in 1995, it brought purchasing power and a worldwide distribution network, and the company expanded the Lagoon product line. The 380 has benefited from this merger with a durable and comfortable design.

The livability and the fun factor of these boats gain them high marks. This is a large small boat, with a 21½-foot beam, and provides the space and amenities of a mono-hull at least 10 feet longer. The 380 has traditionally come in "owner" as well as "charter" versions (it still does), which differ only slightly.

In the owner version, the master stateroom occupies the starboard hull, with a full head and separate shower forward, a 6-foot, 7-inch queen berth aft and a desk in between. One nice feature is a hatch overhead in the shower stall, allowing owners to snake down the hose from the solar shower on deck and get a quick hot-water spritz at anchorage without running the engines. The port hull has two cabins and a head amidships. By contrast, the charter version features identical hulls with four cabins and two shared heads.

Storage is excellent throughout in either version, with plenty of hanging lockers and shelf space. The main saloon comfortably seats eight at the table, with storage under the settees. The galley-up layout keeps the cook in the middle of the social action inside and out, as a sliding glass window instantly connects the galley with the cockpit. While there are a stove and oven combination as well as a refrigerator in the galley, there's no full-sized freezer, so many owners have replaced the desk in the starboard hull with a stand-alone freezer.

The stand-up nav station is just inside the cockpit doors to port and close to the helm for good communication. It's undersized for a boat going long distances, and even with the addition of a swing-out seat, there is little to brace yourself against in rough weather. The whole station seems like an afterthought in the saloon design, which was originally laid out for charter – an application in which nav stations sometimes play a smaller role. Most cruisers will use the saloon table for chart work.

The interior is a combination of solid teak or marine plywood veneer with a satin finish. The countertops are laminate, and most of the surfaces are low maintenance if not terribly luxurious. The headliner is complemented with removable wood strips to allow access to lighting and wiring.

DECK AND RIGGING

Although most people will use the steps on both transoms to board, there are also built-in footholds on the hull sides to make it easier to board amidships.

The cockpit on the Lagoon 380 seats eight, not counting the helmsman seat, and is on the same level as the interior. A stainless steel bimini structure came standard on new boats, and because you can stand on it (not on the canvas, of course), it comes in handy when putting away the mainsail.

The bulkhead-mounted helm station to port is well protected from the elements and provides good visibility forward, with engine controls and instruments within easy reach. It's no exaggeration to say that 15 people could easily enjoy a party aboard without feeling cramped, which makes the 380 a very social platform.

It's easy to pick out Lagoon cats even at a distance due to their distinct profile. Their vertical saloon windows are a polarizing design element, with people either loving or hating the look, but you can't argue with some of the advantages. Vertical windows keep the interior cooler and more comfortable than angled windows (think about how hot your car gets due to the sun coming in through the angled windshield). Vertical windows also allow for great visibility even when seated, and they facilitate the 6-foot, 5-inches of headroom throughout the saloon. The 380 adds a circular, slightly angled coach roof, which blends with the windows to make the boats unique in any anchorage.

The decks are wide and clear, and all lines are led aft for easy handling even when short-handed. The single spreader, fractional rig is deck stepped and rises almost 57 feet above the water. The main is fully battened and has a very full roach. There are only two winches that manage hoisting, trimming and reefing sails, so it couldn't get much simpler.

The Lagoon 380 has eight deck hatches and two additional opening compartments by the mast that open onto the chain locker and the built-in electric windlass. The anchor chain runs inside a fiberglass track that extends from the foot of the mast forward to the crossbeam chain plate and makes for good footing, allowing you to stay out of the trampoline when anchoring.

The storage in the forward parts of both hulls is incredible and provides two lazarettes for lines, fenders, buckets or even a watermaker. At the same time, these dual storage options make things tricky. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but humans cannot tolerate a void, and we have a tendency to fill it with anything that will fit. Of course, weight is a serious issue on multi-hulls, especially when it's far forward, so exercise restraint.

PERFORMANCE

In 12 to 15 knots of wind, these boats will move at 8 knots on a close reach, which is anything up to 45 degrees. Sail much closer than that and the boat pinches and stalls. Upwind sailing in a breeze less than 10 knots won't set any records, and pointing is a bit compromised, as the Lagoon has no daggerboards to keep it tracking. Like most multi-hulls, its favorite point of sail is a beam to a broad reach, and it can exceed 10 knots under the right conditions, though speed will inevitably drop off as the wind moves aft.

Tacking is simple and generally doesn't require backing the jib, which is required on some multi-hulls. Because the 380 is a cruising boat through and through, it won't capitalize on every puff. But it delivers solid performance under sail and is easily single-handed.

There is direct access to the cockpit from the port transom, and both hulls provide excellent access to the well-soundproofed compartments that hold the twin Yanmar or Volvo Penta diesels with saildrives. An engine cut-off switch in the cockpit serves as a quickly accessible safety measure.

Originally, 380s were offered with a variety of engine sizes, and those with power plants smaller than 27 hp can become a bit sluggish. However, maneuverability under power is excellent, as it should be with twin screws almost 20 feet apart. The 380 will motor between 7 and 8 knots at a cruising rpm of 2500, depending on wind, current and sea state. At 2000 rpm, it will do 5.5 to 6 knots.

CONSTRUCTION

The hull construction is polyester and vinylester resin with a balsa sandwich above the waterline and a balsa cored deck. There are four watertight bulkheads at the bow and stern of the hulls, and the boat is a solid, one-piece mold with laminated wooden bulkheads.

Overall, no serious problems with osmotic blistering or other structural issues have been reported, but then the design is only 10 years old, so only time will tell. The Jeanneau design heritage and Beneteau construction processes bodes well for the future.

There are many options offered from the factory on the 380 and used boats will vary greatly in equipment and outfitting. A bimini cage and built-in dinghy davits are common because they were standard on the new designs. Some owners have upgraded the engine size or tankage and have added solar panels over the davits. A Lazybag sail cover, various electronics and ground tackle are just some of the other features that account for pricing differences on the market.

When asked about their least favorite aspects of the boat, many owners point out the difficulty with changing the oil in the saildrives. This must be done either when the boat is hauled or beached because the drains are on the bottom and a lift pump cannot be used. Among the favorite features, however, are the layout, storage and airiness of the design, which adds to the livability, sociability and fun. And in the end, isn't that what cruising is supposed to be about?

Zuzana Prochazka is a freelance writer who additionally serves as Technical Editor for Seafaring Magazine and co-hosts Latitudes & Attitudes TV.

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